Apparatus for determining a foot size

Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed for determining the shoe size corresponding to a foot, the apparatus is of the type including a foot rest adapted to recieve the foot to be measured and a measuring tape extending transverse to the foot rest, which is fixed at a first end relative to the foot rest, forms a loop over the latter, and is movable relative to the foot rest at its second end to tighten the loop about the circumference of the foot to be measured, and a reading point which is fixed relative to said first end of the measuring tape and is arranged opposite markings which are movable together with the second end of the measuring tape. The device is improved by providing additional reading points fixedly associated with the one reading point and a movable chart carrier which is coupled with the second end of said measuring tape and arranged adjacent to all reading points to receive the markings.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In an apparatus for determining a shoe size corresponding to a human foot, said apparatus including an elongated foot rest adapted to receive the foot to be measured; an arrangement for foot length measurement having a measuring output; a measuring tape extending transverse to the foot rest, which is fixed at a first end relative to the foot rest and movable relative to the foot rest at its second end to tighten the tape about the circumference of the foot to be measured; a movable chart carrier which is provided with a pattern of markings and is coupled with said second end of said measuring tape for jointly moving said pattern of markings with said second end of said measuring tape; a reading region for reading the circumference of the foot to be measured, which is fixed relative to said first end of the measuring tape and is arranged opposite said pattern of markings; the improvement comprising: said measuring tape being constructed and positioned to form a loop about the ball region of the foot to be measured;   said reading region including a plurality of spaced apart reading points corresponding to shoe lengths, all of them being positioned opposite said pattern of markings;   said pattern of markings comprising different marking elements, the number of which being at least equal to the number of shoe width sizes defined for at least each shoe length and being representative thereof; and   each reading point having associated therewith a controllable signaling means, having a control input connected to the measuring output of said foot length measuring arrangement.   
     
     
       2. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising movable tensioning means coupled with said second end of said measuring tape for adjusting the size of said loop. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a part of said tensioning means being mechanically coupled with said chart carrier. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a winding drum on said tensioning means for said measuring tape, which is connected and is integral with a scale roll forming the chart carrier. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a drive arranged at the end of said scale roll remote from the winding drum. 
     
     
       6. Apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a transmission means coupled between the drive and the scale roll, the drive being a handwheel. 
     
     
       7. Apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising means in said tensioning means for limiting the tension, a cover on said apparatus having an opening therein, said tension limiting means including fillets on said handwheel, said handwheel being mounted below said cover plate so as to protrude through said opening thereabove. 
     
     
       8. Apparatus according to any one of the claims 1 to 7, wherein the measuring tape is secured with its first end under the foot rest and remote of the loop, is passed upwardly through a slot the foot rest for the formation of the loop and back down again, and extends then toward a coupling point with the chart carrier. 
     
     
       9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the portion of the measuring tape forming said loop is thinner than the other portions thereof. 
     
     
       10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the measuring tape consists of thermoplastic stretchless plastic. 
     
     
       11. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first end of the measuring tape is arranged on an adjusting device which is secured on the foot rest. 
     
     
       12. Apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a running nut at the first end of the measuring tape and an adjusting spindle mounted on the foot rest for rotation but not for axial movement, said running nut being screwed on said spindle. 
     
     
       13. Apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a guide channel having at least one wall extending below the foot rest, parallel to the sides of the measuring tape and arranged adjacent thereto, said tape extending through said channel over at least a portion thereof. 
     
     
       14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the guide channel has a ring channel which is defined by an annular wall surrounding the winding drum at a distance. 
     
     
       15. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein to facilitate the movement of the measuring tape in the ring channel, the winding drum comprises a circumference spirally widening from the attachment point between the winding drum and measuring tape in the direction thereof. 
     
     
       16. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising, over the chart carrier, a cover with sight windows which form reading points. 
     
     
       17. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising additional electronic means for foot length measurement which activates the signaling means. 
     
     
       18. Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the signaling device comprises light-emitting diodes correlated with the reading points in a one-to-one relationship. 
     
     
       19. Apparatus according to either claim 17 or claim 18, wherein the arrangement for the electronic measurement of the foot length comprises: juxtaposed pairs of radiation sources and receiving units in the direction of successive raster points for measuring the foot length;   the extent of the areas of the radiation sources and of the receiving units in the direction of successive measuring raster points being less than or equal to the distance of directly adjoining measuring raster points; and   the radiation sources and receiving units, at least within directly adjoining pairs of radiation sources/receiving units, are association with each other, on the basis of the signal to be transmitted between them, in a one-to-one correlation.   
     
     
       20. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the outputs of the receiving units are connected to the radiation sources. 
     
     
       21. Apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the radiation sources are light-emitting diodes and the receiving units phototransistors. 
     
     
       22. Apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a time division multiplex circuit connected to successively drive at least directly adjoining radiation sources/receiving units. 
     
     
       23. Apparatus according to claim 22, comprising two exclusive OR gates connected following each receiving unit so that the receiving unit controls exactly one input of each exclusive OR gate and the other two inputs thereto are controlled by receiving units arranged at either side of said each receiving unit, and an integrator followed by a threshold switch connected between each receiving unit and each exclusive OR gate. 
     
     
       24. Apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising a time switch means for activating the time division multiplex circuit into an operating state until it has driven a predetermined integral plane number, each pair of radiation sources and receiving unit of time, and in each integrator being constructed to emit a signal exceeding a predefined threshold value when its corresponding radiation source or receiving unit pair has been driven said integral number of times. 
     
     
       25. Apparatus for determining the shoe size corresponding to a human foot, comprising: means for measuring the length of said foot, including means for indicating the corresponding shoe length size;   means for measuring the circumference of said foot;   a chart having a first coordinate representing measured foot length, a second coordinate representing measured foot circumference, and a pattern of markings including marking elements identifying each of a plurality of different predefined shoe width sizes, each point on said chart being defined by the concurrence of a foot length coordinate value and a foot circumference coordinate value, said pattern encoding each such point with marking elements identifying the shoe width size corresponding to said concurring coordinate values;   means coupled to said foot length measuring means for indicating the foot length coordinate value corresponding to the measured foot length; and   means coupled to said foot circumference measuring means for indicating the foot circumference coordinate value corresponding to the measured foot circumference, the marking element appearing at the point representing the concurrence of the indicated length and circumference coordinate values representing the shoe width size of said foot.   
     
     
       26. Apparatus in accordance with claim 25 wherein said circumference measuring means comprises tape means for encircling said foot in the region of the ball thereof, said tape means having a first end which is fixed with respect to said foot during the circumference measurement and a second end which is movable with respect to said foot in relationship to its circumference, said second end being coupled to said means for indicating the foot circumference coordinate value. 
     
     
       27. Apparatus in accordance with claim 26 wherein said chart is represented in rectangular coordinates, said circumference coordinate indicating means comprising a chart carrier having a substantially cylindrical surface on which said chart is mounted, said carrier being mounted for rotation about the axis of said cylindrical surface, said chart being mounted on said cylindrical surface so that said length coordinate extends axially and said circumference coordinate extends circumferentially thereon and, means for receiving the second end of said tape means, said receiving means having a substantially cylindrical surface for taking up said tape and being coupled for rotation with said chart carrier. 
     
     
       28. Apparatus in accordance with claim 27 wherein said length coordinate indicating means includes means movable axially in relationship to said cylindrical surface for indicating an annular segment on said chart as the foot length coordinate value.